Is God Fair?

Well, good morning, everyone, and happy feast!

Boy, I want to thank especially the Ladies' Group that just sang, and really the various choirs throughout the week. It was just, well, it's just beautiful. The voices blend, and they did certainly today. They've, for the past week, they've been blending together. And also the Holy Day offering music as well, the violin solo. All the music has been really, really nice.

So, brethren, again, happy feast! I've mentioned that this is a separate feast day. We've enjoyed, we've lived, we've experienced the Feast of Tabernacles for the last seven days, and now we come to the eighth day, or sometimes called the last great day. We come to this time. It's a separate feast, and it has special meaning, separate meaning than the Feast of Tabernacles.

So, brethren, the world is not fair. The world is not fair at all. Here we are, you know, picturing the Kingdom of God, how beautiful, how lovely, how wonderful it's going to be, a time of abundance, a time of good things, a time of just worshiping God and understanding more about God and about His ways. But the world going on around us, in which we'll be entering back into, either this evening or in the next few days, the world is not fair. It's not fair at all.

There are many injustices in the world today. There are abuses in all forms, and there are abusers.

Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 8, verse 14, I'm going to read from the message translation. It says, here's something that happens all the time and makes no sense at all. Good people get what's coming to the wicked, and bad people get what is coming to the good. I tell you, this makes no sense. It's smoke. It's message. Excuse me, it's smoke. And that was from the message translation of the Bible in Ecclesiastes 8, 14.

Sometimes people do the right things. They know what to do, and they do the right things, and they get the wrong results. Bad things happen. On the other hand, there are those that do the wrong things, and they seem to be rewarded.

They get whatever the prize is that's on the table at the time. There is seemingly just no justice. It's not supposed to work out this way. People ask the question. People ask, is God fair? Is God fair? How could God allow such a thing, whatever it is, how could God allow that to happen? Is God fair?

But there's also a bigger issue involved. I've talked about abuses and abusers, and about bad results for the wrong reasons. There's a bigger issue, and that's what happens after this life. What happens after death? All of these things—the abuses, the abusers now that we look around with—they are physical. They are going to pass. They deal with issues of this life. But what happens after this life? What is going to go on? Few at this time know about life and about death. Few understand that the death do not go to heaven, or a place of torment, or some place in between.

Few people have an understanding of what happens after death. At this time, we are called, and we know, we understand. There's a saying that we have, you know, why were you born? We know the answer to that question of why we are born. Few are called at this time. Most are not called. Few understand that now is not the only day of salvation. Few have that understanding. Most do not understand. Many believe that all who die without accepting Jesus Christ as a Savior are going to be lost forever. They are going to be condemned.

Since there is only one name through which people can be saved, and that name is Jesus Christ, according to Acts 4, verse 12. Since most people who have lived and died have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ, let alone anything about him or about his doctrine. That would mean that millions, billions of people were going to die without the knowledge, and they would die forever.

They would be condemned forever because, because they don't know. They haven't heard. Today we're going to see the answer to the question, is God fair? The answer to this question has a lot to do with the keeping of this particular day. As I mentioned, this day, the eighth day, or the last great day, is a special feast day of God. We'll cover more about that a little bit later.

But the answer to the question of, you know, is God fair, has something to do with the meaning of the feasts. If a person does not understand the plan of God, they may feel that God is just plain and not fair. We will see that God's definition of fairness is not exactly what our definition of fairness is. He has a different point of view. Almost all of us here have relatives, friends, neighbors, children, and others who are not in the church.

What happens to them when they die? Well, again, we know what happens to them when they die. We're going to see that God has a plan for all, for everyone who has ever lived. And God wants all of us to be saved. He wants a large family. He wants us to live with Him forever.

So today we're going to see the answer to the question, is God fair? First, I'm going to start off with another question. Probably have a few questions through here. Did you ever... well, have you lately put it... let me put it that way. Have you lately thought about, why me? Why me? Why us?

Of all of the people on the face of the earth, why is God called you? Why me? Are we better than our neighbors? Well, was the nation of Israel better than its neighbors? No, they weren't. And obviously we aren't either.

We understand that God must call in order for us to have an opportunity to know Him.

John 644, which I'm not going to turn to, but I will paraphrase it, no man can come unto me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up at the last day. That's a scripture that many of us have heard long ago, years ago. We heard a lot. No one can come unto me unless the Father sends me drawing... draw him. And say, this is familiar to us. Many of us recall this, but how many think about this scripture? How many currently think about this scripture? We understand that we're not here because of what we have done. It wasn't our goodness, it wasn't our studying, it wasn't our learning, you know, progressing to such and such a level, and then, oh, we got to be so good that God called us. No, it doesn't work that way. It doesn't work that way at all. We're not here because of what we have done, but rather what God has done and what God is doing. God has called us. He made the first move. He began the reconciliation process with us. Now, we did respond to the call, and of course, it's very important that we do, in order for the relationship to grow and develop, God calls. We need to respond.

We must accept God's calling, and it's a personal selection. I mean, we only think of, you know, God way up there, you know, with some sort of supercomputer and very impersonal, but it's personal. You know, God looked down. He looked upon you. He looked upon me, and He says, I'm going to write their name in the book. God has called us. It's a personal, it's a familiar calling. It's a family calling. In Revelation 17, verse 14, again, just to paraphrase, people of God are called, chosen, and faithful. It's called, chosen, and faithful. Again, do we think about that?

You know, we know we're all called. If you ask a person, are you called, let's say, a person in this room, are you called? And we know what the answer is. The answer is obviously yes. You know, God has brought us here. We're not here of our own choosing. But as time goes on, things go on, and again, we become familiar with that phrase of being called, you know, the called of God.

We wonder, and I shouldn't say that we wonder, we think about the message, and it becomes almost common to us, oh yes, we're called, and called, chosen, and faithful. But think about this a little bit, not necessarily right now, but now this evening, maybe in your Bible studies later on or tomorrow. Think about, you know, that our calling is very unique. God had a lot of people to choose from, and He chose us. And I want to stress that, you know, to keep that in mind, it's important to know your relationship with your father and with your elder brother. Interestingly enough, Isaiah 65.1, which I'm also not going to turn to yet, but you can write it down, it said, God was found by a nation that was not looking for Him. They were not seeking Him. So why does God call some and not others? And again, why us? Well, it's a privilege and it's a responsibility. Some may wonder, well, is God fair? You know, some may think that, you know, this is rather capricious of God, that He goes around willy-nilly, you know, choosing some and ignoring others. Some may think that He's capricious, but God knows what's best for us. We're not here because we set ourselves to see God, and again, that we found Him. It doesn't work that way. I have heard it said some who have searched diligently, you know, they studied charts, maps, dates, names, places, and again, they became so good that, you know, God finally called them. As I mentioned, it doesn't work that way at all. You can study long and hard, but unless God wants to call you, you're not going to come to the knowledge of the truth. Turn to 1 Corinthians the 12th chapter. 1 Corinthians the 12th chapter, we'll turn to the Bible and read a few passages here. Now, as we get to 1 Corinthians the 12th chapter, and I'm going to start reading in verse 12, you're going to look at that and say, well, that scripture looks a little familiar. Well, it should look familiar. It's been quoted one or two times, you know, during the feast already. So, then there's going to be many other scriptures like that. When you come to the eighth day, a lot of scriptures have been used. But, preposition is not a bad form of learning at all. So, I have no problem looking at the scriptures that we've read before. So, 1 Corinthians 12, and I'll start reading in verse 12. It says, Paul is talking about the unity of the body, about the unity in the church. It says, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body. So also is Christ. Then I'm going to drop down to verse 18. It says, But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he pleased.

Again, God has set the members. He's looked out of the potential candidates. He's made a choice, and he's put us into a body, just as he pleased, in order to fulfill his plan, in order to fulfill his purpose. Now, there are many scholars who have studied the Bible, and they know more facts about the Bible than we do. They may have a lot of head knowledge, but what about spiritual knowledge? They know Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek. They know all sorts of facts and figures, again, head knowledge. Actually, I've heard of one scholar who has memorized the entire Bible, Genesis to Revelation. That's a pretty good accomplishment. It doesn't do much for him as far as a relationship with God, but it is an accomplishment. These scholars who look into various aspects, various ideas, various commentaries, studied the Greek and the Hebrew, they looked, but they did not discover God's truth, because God didn't open their minds. He didn't call them. He didn't invite them into a relationship. They continued to go to church on the wrong day. They worshipped in the wrong ways. They kept the wrong holidays. They, again, their studying did not help them in growing and understanding about God, because it does not work that way. They did not understand God's plan of salvation. Turn back to John the 15th chapter. John the 15th chapter. We'll see some words from Jesus Christ. It's read letters in my Bible. John 15 and verse 16 along the same line, and I want to emphasize that it is God who is calling us. God has brought us into a relationship. God wants us to be successful in his family. John 15 verse 16, Christ said, you did not choose me. In other words, all of the scholars, all the people that were searching here and there, doesn't make any difference. It says, you did not choose me. God does the choosing. He says, but I chose you, and again, and appointed you. God is the one who has brought us here and put us into his church.

Having this knowledge gives us an understanding about God's plan, and it helps us understand other parts of the Bible as well. We understand scriptures can be hard to comprehend at some time, but being called, having our hearts and minds open, helps us, and it helps us a lot. Turn back to Matthew the 20th chapter. Matthew the 20th chapter, and I'll start reading in verse 1.

This is a parable that Jesus Christ gave about the laborers in the field, and it has to do with fairness. Laborers in the field, Matthew 20 and verse 1, it says, for the kingdom of heaven, and that's what we'd want to know about, the kingdom of heaven is like, and that's why we came here, to learn, to listen, to understand, to understand what the kingdom of God is like. And it's like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Verse 2, and when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard, and he went out about the third hour and saw others standing, idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you. So he hired some at the beginning of the day for a denarius. He hired some, let's say, at about nine in the morning, and he said, just go, and whatever is right, I'll pay. And then it went on through the day. He hired more at noon, more at 3 p.m., more at 5 p.m. He ordered, excuse me, he hired these various individuals. And again, as it says in verse 7, also, you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right, you will receive. And then continuing in verse 8, he says, when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. And when they came, excuse me, and when those came who were hired about the 11th hour, they each received the denarius. You know, they worked one hour, they got a denarius. Verse 10, but when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more. But likewise, they received the denarius. These who had worked all day, they had it all figured out.

They thought they knew what was fair. You know, if I've worked all day and I get a denarius, and he's only worked an hour, I should be getting a lot more than him. They thought they knew what was fair. They thought that they had it all figured out. They had their expectations of what God should do, or what, in this case, obviously it's a reference to God, but as far as the landowner, they knew what he should do. They knew what was in their minds and in their hearts, but it didn't work out that way. They only got a denarius also. They thought they, again, had it figured out. And continuing on in verse 10, it said, when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more, but they didn't. They likewise received each of the denarius. And when they received it, they murmured against the landowner. And how can he do that? That's just not fair. Saying, these men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, borne the burden and the heat of the day. But he said of one of them, excuse me, when he answered one of them and said, friend, I'm doing you no wrong. You did not agree, or did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. And I wish to give this last man the same as you. Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?

Again, that's a question. Is it lawful for God to do what he wishes with his own things? Or is your I evil because I am good? And then it says, so the last will be first and the first will be last. For many are called. And again, there's that word again, few are chosen.

Again, are we envious with God? Envious because God is gracious. You know, because God does something. You know, Paul talks about that, you know, if one member is honored, they're all honored. If one member suffers, we all suffer. Is that really true? I mean, it should be true. I mean, that's ideally what we're here to learn and to understand, to love one another properly. And as I say, are we envious because God is gracious? God's thoughts are greater than our thoughts. Actually, God has a different definition of fairness than we do. He has one standard.

We tend to look at things from a different direction. Obviously, additional years, likening years in the church to labors in the field, additional years will be very helpful for us. It's an opportunity to grow and to serve and to overcome. But again, they weren't interested in that. They were looking at the amount they were going to get paid. They were going to look at, you know, the denarias that they received. But God is fair. I mean, they might... the laborers might say, well, God is not fair. Maybe somebody reading this would say, God is not fair. But God is fair. He calls and chooses those whom He will at the time and at the place that He chooses. He is not capricious. Though, through our point of view, we may not understand what's happening at the time. If a person doesn't understand the plan of God, a person will think that God is not fair. Again, think back to your own calling of the events taking place at that time. I know in the case of my wife and I, we realized that God was working with us for a while. I'll say months, maybe years, before we were ever even introduced to the truth. And I know others have had that similar experience where you don't really understand at the time, you know, as you're living it. But looking back, you say, oh yeah, you know, God was in my life here. God directed me there. This is what happened there. Think about your own situation. Your calling is special. I can't overemphasize that enough. Our calling is special, though, and some of the things that we go through, we wonder, well, why am I going through these things? It becomes obvious at a later time. Turn ahead to Romans the ninth chapter. Romans the ninth chapter.

I just looked up and I saw I didn't turn the electric bomb on here.

That's not good for either of us. Romans the ninth. We'll take a look at a passage where Paul also talks about fairness. Romans the ninth, and I'll start reading in verse one, and I'm talking and I'm not in Romans the ninth right now. Here we go. Paul says, I tell you the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscious also bearing witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. So Paul is writing a letter to the church at Rome, and it starts out, it's pretty heavy here. It's rather heavy thoughts, you know, I'm not lying, my conscious also bearing me witness. And then verse two, that I have great sorrow and continual grief, for I wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. In other words, he wanted Israel so badly to be saved, he was willing to give up his salvation for that. Now there is a precedent in the Bible, Moses had this same conversation with God where he was willing to give up his life for the nation of Israel. But here Paul is starting out on a somber note, a very heavy note. He says, just backing up, he says, I wish I could myself, I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites. So Paul is talking about Israelites now to whom pertain to glory, excuse me, the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. There are many blessings and benefits of being an Israelite throughout history. You have covenants with God. You have God's watchful care. You have God's blessings. There are a lot of blessings of, again, being a part of the nation of Israel, a part of the nation that God was dealing with. It says, of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is ever all the eternally blessed God. Amen. And then continuing on, Paul introduces a theme for the next basically three chapters in the Bible, chapters 9, 10, and 11. Most do not understand because, again, and I'm using this phrase a lot, but it's true. They just don't understand the plan of God. Down here in verse 6, it says, Paul is introducing a subject for the next three chapters. And that's, well, I'll read verse 6 and then comment on it. It says, but it's not that the word of God has taken no effect, for they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Today we talked about spiritual Jews or spiritual Israelites. There are those that are physical and then there are those that are spiritual.

It says, for they are not all Israel. I mean, just because your last name starts with, you know, whatever, Levi, or whatever tribe you're from, or whatever your family name is, it doesn't make any difference. It says, but it's not that the word of God has taken no effect. They're not all Israel. So just as you have these credentials, supposedly, you know, elevating you, giving you a certain status, and sometimes it does. But in any case, as far as God's concerned, it doesn't. They are not all Israel who are of Israel. There are those who are physical Israelites. There are those who are spiritual Israelites. It says, nor are they all children because they are of the seat of Abraham. And again, just because your genealogy is one way, it doesn't mean that, you know, you're not right standing or good standing with God. And then he gives a couple of examples to back up his statements. It says that, nor are they all children because they are the seat of Abraham. But in Isaac, your seed shall be called. So the promises were going to go down to Isaac. Obviously, Abraham had other children, had other sons of their male children. It says, that is, those who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise. For this is the word of promise. At this time, I will come and Sarah shall have a son. So anyway, the blessings was going to go down through Sarah.

That was the person of promise. It wasn't going to go through the sons of Keturah. It wasn't going to go through Ishmael. It was going to go through, excuse me, it was going to go through Isaac. It says, at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son. In verse 10, the second example, the second example, and not only this, but when Rebecca had also conceived by one man, even our father Isaac, for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to the election might stand. Not of works, but of him who calls. It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I of love, but Esau I have hated. Now before going on and commenting on the meaning here in these verses, I want to comment on this word, hated. It's not that, it's not like Esau was hated, like if you quote-unquote hate somebody, we're not supposed to do that, but if we hate somebody, it's not like getting angry, it's not like getting upset. This word here means loved less, loved less. As an example, we had an ice cream social the other evening. It was nice, you know, the vanilla ice cream, it's good ice cream, but say that there's a person there that, you know, really likes chocolate ice cream. Here, this person would love vanilla ice cream less, and according to the word here, he would hate it, but it's not hate as far as anger or being upset, it's a degree of separation, if you will. So it says, the older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I of love, but Esau I have hated. God chose Jacob over Esau while they were still in the womb. So you've got two babies in the womb, and there was a choice that was made at that time. Now, neither one of those babies had made any moral decisions. You know, they just didn't, but God looked down upon them and made a choice. There was, you know, the two babies, and they had, one was told they were going to proceed to be more than the other. I'm going to read that again for kind of a stumble over that one with my tongue. So for the children not yet being born, not having done anything, either good or evil, that the purpose of God according to the election might stand. Not of works, and again, neither one of them did anything. They didn't keep the law. They didn't, well, do anything. Not of works. It was told to her, the older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I of love, but Esau I have hated. And again, there was a selection that was made before either of them did anything wrong. Said, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?

In other words, it's a way of saying, is God fair? Is God fair that, you know, He chose one instead of the other? And then He says, just rereading, is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not. For He says it to Moses, I will have mercy on whoever I will, and I will have compassion on whoever I will have compassion. So it's not of Him who wills, you know, who studies, who works, it's not of Him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, even for this same purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared in all the earth. Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and on whom He wills, He hardens.

John Calvin, the 16th century Protestant reformer, has written about this particular section of Scripture, and he says, pre-destination, as we call it, the eternal decree of God by which He has determined in Himself what would have become of every individual of mankind, for they are not all created with a similar destiny. In other words, there are some that, you know, right at birth, they're designated, you know, you're going to go up, so to speak, or you're going to go down, so to speak, and that would be, I'm referencing how John Calvin would look at this. They are not all created with a similar destiny, but eternal life is ordained for some, and for some eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say that he is predestined to, that's elected to life or to death, and that's from a New King James Version Study Bible. That's what he thought about this particular passage, that, you know, right at birth, your fate's determined. Makes you wonder, you know, why do anything? And really, Paul addresses that. Let's see, verse 14, it says, oh, I read this, it says, what shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? And no, certainly not.

William Barkley, in his new daily Bible study series on the book of Romans, also has an interesting passage as far as this is concerned. It says, and I'm just going to be skipping around, although basically going forward, I can give you a chapter and verse, but I don't know that it will help you in that sense. But the potter and the clay, it's an argument at which the mind boggles.

I particularly like that word. His mind is boggles. That's talking about the potter and the clay, and I guess I haven't read that part yet. It says, therefore he has mercy on whom he wills, and on whom he wills he harvings. You will say to me then, why does he still find faults? Who has resisted his will? In other words, you know, God has predetermined this. Who are we that we'd go up to God and say, you did it wrong, you know, you need to do something different? And he says, who has resisted God's will? That certainly wouldn't get very far with God. It says, but indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed, say to him, who informed it? Who formed it? Why have you made me thus? Does the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? And Paul, at this point, is referring back to Jeremiah the 18th chapter, where Jeremiah talks about the potter and the clay. He says, does not the potter have power over the clay? What if God, wanting to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of which he prepared for destruction? And again, now I'll look at what William Barkley says. The potter and the clay analogy, it's an argument at which the mind boggles. Here's that word again. He continues the next page, a strange, this is a strange and a terrible argument. In verse, well, about 10 more pages, he says, we are staggered by this argument. Is that fair? Is that fair? And then he continues on. It says, he, Paul, makes the further point that the selection had nothing to do with actions and merit. The proof that Jacob was chosen and Esa rejected before either of them was born. Both of them are still in the womb. He says, the choice was made while they were still in their mother's womb. Our mind's real at this argument. It presents us with a picture of God who apparently is quite arbitrarily chooses one and rejects another. You know, just kind of, I'd say, very capricious. And then he says to us, this is not a valid argument because it makes God responsible for an action which does not seem to be ethically justified. And I'll say it's not justified as far as Berkeley is concerned. Continuing on, Berkeley further states the analogy of the potter and clay. He said that it's a bad analogy. It's just bad. It's not right. One New Testament commentator has said that this is one of the very few passages we wish that Paul had not written. His argument is not good. Imagine you're disagreeing with Scripture.

I believe Christ said we're supposed to live by every word from the mouth of God. But here's some Scriptures that they don't like to live by. Anyways, this is a bad analogy.

I read this. I'll read it again. One New Testament commentator has said, this is one of the few passages which we wish Paul had not written. His argument is not good. In the end, the only answer Paul can find is that God did it. That's his solution. God did it. Actually, I agree with that. God did do that. Yes, he has a plan. He's bringing his plan to come to pass. Yes, he does make choices. He does make decisions. But looking at the Scripture and saying that, you know, that shouldn't be there, this is one of the conclusions people have. If they don't understand God's plan, they conclude various results based on their own opinions or their own traditions. They ask and wonder. They read this, and I just read a fair portion of this, and they have the question, you know, well, is God fair? Is God fair? Well, Romans 11 continues with this theme, but it takes a shift. Turn to Romans 11. I'll start first in Romans, verse 1, Romans 11, verse 1. There's a lot in these chapters, and most do not understand. Calvin and Barkley are, you know, recognized scholars, and obviously they don't understand. Most don't understand. Romans 11 and verse 1, it says, I say then, has God cast away his people?

As far as making decisions, has he made a decision to, you know, cast away his people? And then he continues on here and says, certainly not. I also am an Israelite of the seat of Benjamin, excuse me, of the seat of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Dropping down into verse 25.

Verse 25, Paul says, it says, for I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this ministry. So he wants the church at Rome to know and to understand. He wants them to put them on solid ground. He says that you should not be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that hardening in part has happened to Israel until. So it's going until there's a person, a point is reached, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. Verse 26, and so all Israel will be saved as is written. All Israel shall be saved. And then the fullness of the Gentiles as well. All will be saved as is written. Then he says, considering the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the Father. Drop down to verse 32. Verse 32 says, for God has committed them all to disobedience, that, so again, there's that, there's a reason, there's a purpose, that he might have mercy on all, and that all that the death and the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

We can look at these scriptures, and I'll rephrase the question a little bit. I've mentioned several times that, you know, is God fair? Is God fair? Well, that's really the wrong question to ask. It's not, is God fair? That's a question for all mankind. Israel's hope is not lost. There will come a time when all Israel shall be saved. And again, as I mentioned, all Gentiles will be saved. God has a plan not only for Israel, but he has a plan for all mankind, and it's a wonderful plan. It's for those who are alive. It's also for those who have have died, not being a part of a previous judgment period. There is much in this section, a lot behind the scenes, a lot that was written by Paul. But again, as I said, is God fair? You know, that is the wrong question. God is much more than fair. Much, much more than fair. God is merciful. He is merciful, and his mercy extends to all. Think about yourself. You know, where would you be without God's mercy? You know, where would I be without God's mercy? I hate to contemplate it, but God is generous. God is gracious. God is loving. And then in verse 32, it says, God has committed them all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all. Verse 33 is a summary statement of what's gone before. It says, Oh, the depth and the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out? This is another way of saying, you know, is God fair? Is God fair? And it talks about how searchable are his judgments. Here, the Apostle Paul this time is talking about judgment periods. We understand these periods of being Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles, and then Last Great Day, or Eighth Day. These are judgment periods. I'm only going to be talking about two of the judgments, that being the Pentecost or that being the Eighth Day. Turn back to 1 Corinthians, the 15th chapter. 1 Corinthians, I should say, turn ahead. 1 Corinthians, the 15th chapter. And I'll start reading in verse 20. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 20 says, But now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterwards those who are Christ, that is coming, and then comes the end. So here we have this summary statement. It says, there is an order. There are multiple. Everybody is going to be resurrected, but not everybody is resurrected at the same time. There is an order. There is a progression. God has a plan, and his plan is to save all, but he wants to do this in an organized, in an orderly way. He wants to save all. He is fair. And again, remember, God's definition of fairness is not the same as our definition of fairness. We think of God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

Also, we know that Christ came to save, not to condemn. But looking at the judgment period, taking a look at them quickly, the first judgment period I want to talk about is Pentecost. From there, we understand that there are firstfruits. If there are firstfruits, well, then there's also laterfruits, second, third, etc. There are otherfruits. And God is not dealing with the whole world now. God is only dealing with a small group. Again, look around. Here we are.

But this is our opportunity. This is our time. The Pentecost judgment period is the time for us now. God is not in the process of saying the whole world now, as I mentioned, but he is saving some. And when he does work to save the world, he will do that. Pentecost pictures the first judgment period. This is the time that's now again that is our time. This is the time that we are living in. And this is our opportunity now. And it's our only opportunity. Everybody has one choice in order to be in the kingdom. Everybody has to have gone through a judgment period and have a relationship with God. But there are no second choices. Only one choice. Only one time. This is our judgment period. This is our day, our one opportunity for salvation. The next judgment period I'm going to talk about is the eighth day or the last great day. It pictures a time when God will be working with all who have lived and died and were not included in a particular or previous judgment period. The dead will be brought back to physical life. And again, I have talked about there are no first chances, excuse me, there are no second chances for us. There are no second chances for them either. Everybody gets one chance and one chance only. The last great day is the conclusion of this phase of God's plan. God is adding children to his family and his desire is, as I mentioned, to save everybody, to save all. Turn ahead to Revelation, the 20th chapter.

And I'll start reading in verse 4.

Revelation 20 in verse 4, it says, I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image or had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. And then there's a parenthetical expression here. It says, but the rest of the dead, the rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were over. These are those who have lived and died without ever having a relationship with God. And then referring back to the first group, it says, this is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who is part of the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power. So this is a resurrection to life, to eternal life, to be a spirit being. And then dropping down to verse 11, it says, then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it and whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing. So now we have a resurrection. Dead people are now standing before God and books were open. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. So this is another judgment period pictured by this particular day, the eighth day or the last great day.

And it says, another book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and the dead were judged by their works. So this is another judgment period. This one is a resurrection to a physical life, not to spiritual life, but to physical life. Turn back to Deuteronomy, the 30th chapter. Deuteronomy, the 30th chapter. And I'll start reading in verse one.

Deuteronomy 30 and in verse one, it says, it shall come to pass when all things come upon you, the blessings and the cursing which I have set before you. And you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you. And you return to the Lord your God and obey his voice according to all that I command you today and your children with all your heart and with all your soul. That the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts of under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and he will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. This is interesting. This is a prophecy and basically a prophecy about the eighth day or the last great day. Think about this what we just read and think about the context. Here you've got the nation of Israel coming up to the Jordan River getting ready to cross in to the promised land. They're getting ready in... what does it say here? It says...

Yes, verse 3. You're getting ready to cross the Jordan River and then God says that the larger God will bring you back from captivity. At this point they weren't in captivity. They were going to go into the land for the first time. It also says He's going to take them back to their land. How can they go back to their land if they've not experienced it the first time? Now this is a prophecy looking ahead, not backwards. This prophecy looks ahead. It wasn't for the people who heard Moses' voice. It wasn't for those who heard his voice in his ears. It wasn't for their grandchildren or their descendants either. It's for those time ahead when they will be brought back to their land from parts of heaven. And again, this is a physical resurrection for a future time. The last great day was not an afterthought. It was there from the beginning. And I won't turn there, but Leviticus 23 gives instructions for keeping this day, you know, what to do on this day. Actually, there's not a lot that's said there, but there are a couple things that are mentioned. It says we're supposed to have a holy convocation on this day, and here we are. Here we are having a holy convocation. It says we're supposed to give an offering on this day, and we did that too. That's all that it really says right there in Leviticus, but there are things that we can get by going to other parts of the Bible. Turn to Ezekiel at 37 chapter. Ezekiel 37, we'll look at a prophecy of the dry bones, the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel 37 starting in verse 1, it says, the hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit. Excuse me, the Spirit of the Lord set me down in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley. Indeed, they were very dry. And He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And again, and He's pretty wise, He said, so I answered, O Lord, you know. Verse 4, again, He said to me, prophesy to the bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says Lord God to these bones, surely I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. So here we have now another physical resurrection, brought back to life, brought back at the time pictured by this day, the eighth day. He says, I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

I could go on and Ezekiel there's background information that's rather interesting in there, but I'm going to keep going forward. This is a time in Ezekiel when God is going to be calling everyone. He's going to be calling all. I talked specifically about, you know, the nation of Israel, but Israel is the type of all the nations, all the Gentiles. Elsewhere in the Gospels it says that, well, in Matthew 11, verse 20, that those from Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom are going to be resurrected at that time. Nineveh, the queen of the south, all the Gentiles, they're going to be resurrected at that time. In Joel 2, 28, it says, God will pour out his spirit on all flesh.

All flesh. All will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. That's in Romans 14, verse 10, where Paul wrote that all that, that includes our loved ones, that includes those who have lived and died, not being part of a judgment period. It's a time when they are going to come before Jesus Christ, and again, every knee will bow and all before him. Again, brethren, look at the question, is God fair? That's the wrong question. God is much, much, much, much, much, much more than fair. God is merciful. He has an abundant about of mercy, and he extends it to all, each according to their own order. Turn back to Revelation, the 21st chapter, Revelation, the 21st chapter, and I'll read verse 4.

It says, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things have passed away. God is not only going to wipe our tears away, he is going to remove the cause for the tears. There is going to be no more hunger, no more thirst, no more pain, no more sorrow, only good things. And this was predetermined all from the foundation of the world. All suffering will cease. There will be goodness, there will be loveliness, there will be holiness. It's going to be a time, again, of peace and of harmony. A wonderful time. God has a plan for everybody, for Israel, for Gentiles, and that should pretty much cover everyone. God has a plan for all, and His plan is a wonderful plan.